Upon researching the matter further, here are some additional points to consider:

1) there is an exception to the rule referring to simultaneous possession. They actually can review it if it occurs in the endzone. So, this play was fully reviewable and the determination was that there wasn't enough visual evidence to overturn the call on the field that gave possession to Seattle. Quote from the NFL:

2) The replay ref was not a replacement and has been an NFL ref since 1987. So, an actual NFL referee reviewed the play in slow motion multiple times and decided the game in favor of Seattle.

3) A catch is not a catch until the criteria for a catch have been established. What are the criteria?

So, there is nothing better about securing a ball with arms or body than with hands. They are equal.

In this case, I would argue that the catches were simultaneous since they both touched the ground at roughly the same time and since they both maintained control over the ball. If they didn't, then the ball surely would have been ripped away from Tate.

I think that the definition of a catch is somewhat troublesome to define and leads to issues like this. One complication is that it is meant to benefit the offense by allowing the receivers a little extra time before a dislodged ball is ruled a fumble. That creates a gray area of an undefined length of time where a player can have the ball in his hands before it is officially a catch.

CONSPIRACY THEORY...
Slavin upheld the call because he knew that it would make the replacement refs look bad (even though it was technically correct). He was sticking up for his locked out buddies.

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The big takeaway for me from this post is this is why you coach players to knock down the pass on a Hail Mary and not to try to intercept it.

Well TaShawn, if you think these refs are every bit as competent as the regular refs and if this matter hasn't effected your enjoyment of these games or lowered your own perceptions of the NFL...then I say all the power to you!

Personally my perception is that these guys are screwing up a lot more than the regular refs. I think the entire mess is an unnecessary blemish on the NFL. I personally am much more confident in the old referees. The NFL has a problem.

I think the spirit of the rule is that if 2 guys catch the ball at the same time, the offensive player is awarded the catch. That's not what happened in this case. A defender caught the ball, then the WR put his hands on it. THAT'S NOT A SIMULTANEOUS CATCH.

What I'm saying is it doesn't pass the sniff test. If this had happened on a playground or local sports field would anyone playing football with his friends be able to credibly argue that he caught the ball at the same time as the defender? Absolutely not.

One could argue that Jennings had the ball when he was in the air, but a catch doesn't technically occur until you hit the ground with control. At that point, both players had their hands on the ball. SIMULTANEOUS CATCH!!!!!!!

One could argue that Jennings had the ball when he was in the air, but a catch doesn't technically occur until you hit the ground with control. At that point, both players had their hands on the ball. SIMULTANEOUS CATCH!!!!!!!

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"One could argue" = You would have gotten beat up by your friends if you tried to bring that weak sauce in a neighborhood game.

I'm just saying, the rule is there to serve the interests of the game, not vice versa. When the rules are invoked to the detriment of the game, stuff like this happens and the whole idea of sports as entertainment goes out the window.

"One could argue" = You would have gotten beat up by your friends if you tried to bring that weak sauce in a neighborhood game.

I'm just saying, the rule is there to serve the interests of the game, not vice versa. When the rules are invoked to the detriment of the game, stuff like this happens and the whole idea of sports as entertainment goes out the window.

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It's kind of like that Calvin Johnson touchdown a year or two ago that was ruled an incompletion when he set the ball down before finishing the process of the catch. Everyone in the stadium knew it was a touchdown....except the officials ("real" ones, not replacement ones).

I'm an NFL novice compared to you guys, but I have noticed a difference in the ref quality this season. I watched the Chiefs-Saints game last week and there seemed to be a lot of missed or wrong calls. There were about 4 video reviews in a 2 minute period in the 2nd quarter. And the outcomes were wrong even after review. The commentators were a bit dumbstruck.

I also watched Ravens-Patriots and the first quarter of that game was pretty out of control. The refs just seemed to be afraid to step in and take control of the situation.

The NFL needs to do something. Either make them professionals and pay them to do the job full time, or pay them more money and keep the status quo. Either way, the refs are going to have to be paid more money.

The NFL and its referees union reached a deal Wednesday night to end a three-month lockout and return its officials to the playing field, a spokesman for the league announced.The agreement ends a chaotic opening three weeks to the NFL season, which saw replacement referees -- recruited from lower-level college divisions -- blow calls, lose control of games, misapply rules, and generally prove that they were in over their heads in the big leagues.